High Security Number Plate: Over 3 lakh Car Owners in City still Flouting SC Order

* Massive crackdown after August 31

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, Aug 29: Over 3 lakhs car owners in Greater Guwahati are yet to convert their old painted registration number plates to High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) in complete disregard to the Supreme Court’s directive.

Even though the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration had earlier extended the May 31 deadline to August 31 this year for such conversion of number plates, over 3 lakhs car owners are still not paying any heed to meet the deadline.

In between July and till this date of August 74,000 vehicle owners have convert their old painted registration number plates to HSRP. There are about 10 lakh registered vehicles in Greater Guwahati areas. Vehicles registered prior to 2012 do not have HSRP.

The high security plates are tamper-proof and have several features, including an original chromium hologram, a laser number containing the alphanumeric identification of both the testing agency and manufacturers. The plates would also have a barcode and the characters will be printed on the plate for better visibility.

Another unique feature of these plates is the snap lock, which will hold the number plate in place on the vehicle. “Any attempt to replace or remove the lock will break it, making it impossible to install any other number plate on the vehicle,” said a transport official.

The Supreme Court had in 2012 asked all the States and Union territories to ensure HSRP for all vehicles by June 15 that year or face contempt of court proceedings. The court last year sought response from five States including Assam on a contempt plea alleging noncompliance of the order related to ensuring high security registration plates (HSRP) for all vehicles.

District Transport Officer of Kamrup Metro S.R. Mannan told The Sentinel that his department will launch a massive crack down on vehicles which have not installed HSRP after expiry of August 31 deadline.